Health professionals want harmony in health sector

By Chioma Obinna

Private medical doctors under the auspices of Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, AGPMPN, have called on professionals in the health sector to move beyond the age- long cold war of inter-professional groupings of inheritance of dominant disorder that has become a baton being passed from one generation unto another.

President of the Lagos Branch of AGPMPN, Dr Jimmy  Arigbabuwo  who made the call in Lagos encouraged medical workers to embrace mutual respect, using give, take and team work as an antidote to the long drawn battle against one another.

“The tongue will not tell the nose it is of no use just as the finger will not tell the eyes that they are of no significance. We are not deposited here by accident.  Each person has a role to play. It is right time to put a stop to this divide for the general good of this country,” he said, arguing that disharmony in the health sector has continued to short-change the whole healthcare industry.

Arigbabuwo noted that to move the health sector forward, all professionals in the sector need to approach the National Assembly with one common voice that would harmonise various sectoral interest and have a voice that will be given international recognition on the principle of live and lets live.

Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris stressed the need for medical doctors to engage in politics as part of strategies to change policies. Idris who also advised that professionals should sheath their sword tasked AGPMPN to ensure proper practice and harmony in the health sector.

Chairman of the occasion, Prince Julius Adelusi – Adeluyi said there must be harmony in the health sector.  He regretted that medicine in Nigeria has not attained the level it supposed to be 52 years after Nigeria’s independence.

The high –point of the event was the award of Excellence to outstanding professionals in the sector including Acting Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, Dr, Abdulrahman Sambo, Former Health Minister, Prince Julius Adelusi – Adeluyi and Dr. Tosin Ajayi, Chairman First Foundation.